


Whoso List To Hunt

by akwardcadabra



Category: Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
Genre: Inspired by 'Whoso List To Hunt I Know Where Is An Hind', Inspired by Poetry, Light Angst, M/M, POV Daniel, POV Third Person, POV Third Person Limited, Possessive Armand, Protective Armand, there's really nothing else to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-20 23:32:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17631839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akwardcadabra/pseuds/akwardcadabra
Summary: It was like in ancient times when an emperor marked a deer so other hunters knew that they were not to hunt it. Then the emperor could enjoy the hunt for his chosen deer himself.Armand was the emperor and Daniel was the deer.





	Whoso List To Hunt

**Author's Note:**

> AN: I don't own any of the characters, nor the stories they are from. I also don't own the poem this was inspired by.
> 
> It was Inspired by the Poem "Whose List To Hunt, I Know Where Is An Hind" by Sir Thomas Wyatt. 
> 
> Sorry if the formatting at the end is a liftle off. I don't know what went wrong or how to fix it. Enjoy nonetheless. ^^

“And graven with diamonds in letters plain

There is written, her fair neck round about:

 _Noli me tangere_ , for Caesar's I am,

And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.”

 

\-----------------------------

 

The sun was setting quickly and Daniel was hurrying down the streets of the buzzing city so he would be at home when Armand arrived. Lately, Armand had visited him quite often and he did enjoy the vampire’s company. Thus he wanted to be there when he arrived as to not irritate him or give him a reason to leave – that reason hypothetically being his absence.  
  


And as he hurried down the streets he found the amulet around his neck to be hard to ignore. It was swaying along with his motions, hitting his chest over and over again. Armand had given it to him as a protection, as a way to show other vampires that they were not to touch Daniel unless they wanted to face the consequences. And even though Daniel was unsure of what the consequences might entail, he was certain that they were anything but pleasant.  
 

It was a sweet gesture for certain. Armand wanted to protect him and honestly cared for him. Yet, Daniel couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling in his mind that told him that it was not solely to protect him.  
 

He wondered whether or not Armand simply wanted to drink his blood himself and didn’t want any other vampire to get the chance. It was like in ancient times when an emperor marked a deer so other hunters knew that they were not to hunt it. Then the emperor could enjoy the hunt for his chosen deer himself.  
 

Armand was the emperor and Daniel was the deer.  
 

It was a thought that petrified him. Was Armand warding off any other potential hunter in order to get his priced deer for himself? No matter how much Daniel adored the vampire and enjoyed his company, he could never shake off this feeling or the nagging voice in his head that told him that Armand merely wanted his blood for himself.  
 

When he finally made it home, the sun had already sat and when he entered, he saw Armand sitting on his bed. At the sound of Daniel entering, Armand’s head turned and he looked at the man, a small smile gracing his lips.  
 

“Where have you been?”  
 

“I was out to get something to eat.” Daniel explained away. “I lost track of time.” With that, he sat down next to the vampire. “Do you have anything planned for tonight?”  
 

“Not exactly. I have several ideas, though.” He took in Daniel’s dishevelled form. “You look exhausted. You really didn’t have to hurry this much and put yourself to the point of exhaustion.”  
 

Now Armand was teasing him and Daniel knew this. He was making fun of the fact of how easily Daniel ended up out of breath.  
 

“Don’t make fun of me, you devil.” Daniel teased back, smirking a little. “So you had nothing in mind? I find it hard to believe that.”  
 

“I really had nothing in mind. There are a lot of things we could do if you were up to it. Maybe we could go see a movie. Wasn’t there a movie you wanted to see?” He asked softly. “Let’s go see that.”  
 

Daniel looked at his watch and smiled. “Alright, let’s do that.”  
 

With that, he got up and Armand quickly followed. Before he made a move to leave, he leaned in to press a kiss to Daniel’s lips. And as he was doing so, Daniel could feel Armand’s hand slide down to his chest, tracing the outline of the amulet under his shirt.  
 

Daniel didn’t say anything, though. And to the movies, they went to pass a quiet and peaceful night. It wasn’t until they were making their way back home that the peaceful atmosphere was disturbed.  
 

Armand seemed tense and Daniel felt the vampire’s frail hand tense in his. That made the blond’s head turn.  
 

“Are you alright, Armand?”  
 

“Nothing to worry about. Just stay close to me.”  
 

Daniel immediately felt shivers run up his spine and he inched a little closer to Armand. But he knew that he was safe with the vampire. Armand was like an apex-predator and when Daniel was with him, he was certain that nothing could hurt him. Even when Armand bore his teeth at someone, when things escalated, when danger was lurking all around, Daniel was safe.  
 

“I’m flattered at the amount of trust you put into me, Daniel.” Armand had read his mind. Daniel would be lying if he said that he was surprised. “But please try to keep out of trouble. One day I might not be able to protect you.”  
 

“You know that I don’t try to get into troublesome situations. They just kind of find me.” He joked but stopped chuckling when he felt Armand tense. “Are you honestly scared?”  
 

“I’m merely careful.” He looked at the man on the other side of the street and pulled Daniel along. “Everyone here should know that you are with me. Yet, when I feel the presence of another vampire, I feel frightened.”  
 

Daniel eyed the boy and let himself be dragged toward his apartment building. “Armand, I’m sure no one would even think of hurting me if they know that you are here with me.”  
 

“That doesn’t matter now. I can sense their presence. And I know that they are hungry. I’m just hoping that they understand that you are not to be preyed upon.” He explained and pulled Daniel up the stairs to the front door. “Unlock it.”  
 

Daniel nodded and did so, his hand shaking ever so slightly as he put the key in the hole. The faint click indicated that the door was open and so Daniel pushed it ajar, getting inside and waiting for Armand to follow.  
 

The vampire looked around, scanning the street a few times before getting inside. “Let’s go upstairs.”  
 

Daniel nodded and up they went. Once they were safely in the apartment, Daniel turned to Armand. “Could you calm down now? You look absolutely frightened.”  
 

“I’m sorry.” Armand said absentmindedly as he went to close the windows in the living area. “Let’s just stay in for the rest of the night.”  
  


Daniel nodded again and went to sit down. The vampire followed suit, looking at the blond man. Then he leaned in, his delicate hand coming up to once again stroke the outline of the amulet that was still tucked into Daniel’s shirt. The blond froze and looked down to watch the movements of Armand’s hand.  
 

Suddenly the question that had been plaguing him all evening slipped from his lips before he could stop it.  
 

“Are you claiming me?”  
 

“Claiming you?”  
 

“I mean, are you telling other vampires off so you can one day kill me yourself and drink from me?” Daniel was stumbling over his words as he refused to meet Armand’s eyes.  
 

The vampire’s hands stilled and he pulled the amulet from inside Daniel’s shirt, letting the pendant dangle as far as possible with the chain still around the man’s neck. “You think I’d do all of this so I can one day kill you myself?”  
 

“I’m sorry. It sounds really dumb. I know that if you wanted to, you could have just killed me. It’s just been a question that’s on my mind.” The blond explained.  
 

Armand let the amulet fall back against Daniel’s chest and stood, then turning back to the other man. “I gave this to you so that you would be safe when I’m not there to protect you. You honestly think that I’m simply claiming you to kill you myself?”  
 

Daniel didn’t know what to say. He felt ashamed. He felt like a deer in the headlights – how fitting that comparison seemed to him.  
 

“Daniel, do you honestly think that?”  
 

“Just sometimes.” He admitted. “Will you tell me if I’m right about my worries? If you tell me that I’m not, I’ll be fine.”  


Armand’s eyes narrowed at him. “Of course you are not right.” With that, he shook his head. “I am trying to protect you, Daniel.”  


"I know. I see it all the time. I just felt like a meal or a piece of meat when we went out earlier today and I knew that someone out there might want to kill me for my blood.”  
 

Armand got back onto the bed, taking the amulet in his fingers and holding it up so that Daniel could see it. Daniel almost went cross-eyed, trying to focus on the pendant in front of his face as Armand pulled at the chain gently as if to gain the other’s attention.  


"No one will ever lay a hand on you because they know you are with me."  


And at Armand's words, Daniel felt as if the chain was constricting around his throat, squeezing it ever so tightly. The amulet around his neck was like a warning for other vampires to stay away from him.  


Noli me tangere, for _Armand's_ I am.


End file.
